Edward Lupin and Hunter's Cove
by chronauer
Summary: Teddy Lupin starts his first year at Hogwarts. Magic is tougher than he ever thought it would be, and it seems something evil is lurking in the forbidden forest. Whatever it is, its harming and attacking anything it can get its hands on and as rumor has it, it has its eyes on the Lupin werewolf legacy.
1. Words from the Author

Fellow wizards and witches!

This is my take on what Edward Lupins time at Hogwarts would be like. We'll see several old faces, and a fair few new ones. Bare in mind, that I started planning this out way before the release of the cursed child, so if you stumble across anything that seems out of place in context to TCC, it's my bad. BUT then again, it's my story, so take it or leave it.

Anyway, if this doesn't tickle your fancy, check out my SuperWhoLock instead. It's excellent. Well, it's quite good. Well, it's all right. Well...

Anyway... Harry Potter was on his way home from buying magic groceries when THIS happened...


	2. The Old Wand from the New World

**The Old Wand from the New World**

Once upon a time, there was an evil wizard, who spent his life in search of power and immortality. He was twisted, evil and completely without mercy, caring for nobody but himself. As he rose to power, he gained followers and servants the like, and as peoples fear of him increased, so did his number of lackeys. The threat of him reached such levels that it became taboo to speak the evil wizards name, and he became widely known as "He-who-must-not-be-named" or simply "You-know-who" and indeed, everyone knew who. He who spread terror and darkness across the skies, and made people shiver at the mention of his name. It was dark times.

A movement was founded by a group of people, all willing to give their lives to fight the evil lord, and although the dark wizard was powerful, a prophecy was spoken. A prophecy that spoke of a child, born at the end of July, that would come to be the dark lord's downfall. Furious and frightened, the evil one sat out to find the child before he would grow powerful enough to defeat him, and when he found the family, he did not hesitate to murder them all.

The child's father told his wife to take their boy and run while he held off the dark lord, and even though he bravely stood his ground, he proved a minor challenge to the evil wizard, and he fell down fighting. As the evil wizard stepped over the father's body and made his way into the nursery, his way was blocked by the boy's mother who refused to step aside, and no threat of torture and pain would move her. The dark lord laughed and slew her where she stood without hesitation before he turned to the crib. Nothing could stand in his way but as he raised his wand, something happened.

His curse rebounded and the boy survived. The dark lord vanished and was reduced to a dormant spirit, stripped of his former power, while the boy became famous. Known to many as "The boy who lived", he grew up with nothing but a scar, shaped as a lightning bolt, on his forehead to show for that terrible night. The boys name, was Harry Potter.

Eleven years later, the boy was accepted into the wizarding school of Hogwarts and began his training as a young wizard. Three years on, the dark lord was resurrected by his old servant and began his journey to return to power. Harry had just barely escaped with his life, something that a fellow student that was with Harry at the time, sadly, hadn't.

This led to, what was later called, the great wizarding war in Harry's seventh year, where he and his two best friends travelled far and wide in search of several artifacts in which the dark lord had stored pieces of his soul and life force in hopes of living longer. In the late spring of 1998, the last artifact was destroyed and Harry had, in one final duel with the evil one, overpowered him and then watched the soulless creature wither away into nothing.

Peace would rule for years to come, but the cost had been great and many lives had been lost on both sides. The great Albus Dumbledore had died a year prior to the battle of Hogwarts and the battle itself had claimed more. The auror Nymphadora Tonks and her husband Reamus Lupin, dark arts expert, werewolf and acclaimed genius, had both died and left their infant son, Edward, orphaned.

Edward however, or "Ted" as he would grow up to be called, had plenty of family left to raise him. Harry himself had been appointed godfather for him, while his grandmother had been chosen as guardian and so, Teddy grew up as the first child of the new wizarding world. Some eleven years later, he too received his letter of acceptance to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.

It was the last day of August, and Teddy was staying at his godfather's house at Grimuald Place in London. He was skinny, but strong. He had a slim face, with turqoise hair and his eyes where dark brown. In the morning, he was supposed to get to Kings Cross station to board the school train and start his own first year in wizard training. He was staying in his godfather's son James room where he was laying in bed a few minutes past midnight, and the excitement made it utterly impossible to sleep. Teddy was spending his time, fantasizing about what school would be like. Which house he would end up in and what classes he would be good at. Learning to fly a broomstick and how to use spells. The clock on James dresser now showed twenty minutes past midnight.

"Today is the day," he thought. "Today is finally the day."

On the floor of the room stood his trunk. Full of the things that he had gotten with his grandmother last week in Diagon Ally. Books of different kinds, robes, a cauldron, quill, ink and, of course, his brand new wand.

Teddy had not been sure if he had liked Mr Ollivander in the wand shop or not. He had certainly been impressive, but just as scary and intimidating. Ted and his grandmother Andromeda had entered the shop and thought it deserted. They had walked up to the counter to find a box. The boxes lid was resting beside it and inside laid a wand of light brown color, and a note attached to it.

Good afternoon, Edward and Andromeda.

I'm in the back, finishing a project so please, won't you  
go ahead and try this one in the meantime. Help yourself  
to tea from the kettle in my office while you wait.

There are cups in the cupboard.

Yours truly – G. Ollivander

"He's always been a bit off, that one." said Andromeda. "But I suppose it's just as well you try the wand. This could take a while if I remember it right."

Teddy shrugged and went for the box while his grandmother reached into Ollivanders tiny office for the kettle. When he picked up the wand and waved it about, there was a loud crash and his grandmother screamed loudly. The kettle in her hand had exploded. They stood in silence for a moment before they heard a voice.

"Well, that one certainly won't do. I suggest you put it down immediately."

Teddy turned on the spot and looked at a man of bushy, silver white hair and brightly glowing grey eyes. He quickly put the wand down on the counter.

"Your kettle! Sir! I'm so sorry," he began, but Ollivander interrupted.

"Not to worry my boy! Not to worry. If you knew how many times I have had that thing repaired, you'd believe me when I say that I have grown rather fond of the sound of it breaking."

The old man walked around the counter while giving, what seemed to be his own wand, a good wave above his head and Teddy then watched how all the scattered pieces of the kettle flew up and reattached themselves to the handle that was still tightly clutched in his grandmother's hand.

"As for the tea..." Ollivander began again. "Andromeda dear, could you make us a new pot while we get to work?"

Then followed a good three quarters of an hour of testing, waving and then repairing things that broke because of it. All while Teddy's grandmother finished two cups of tea before she fell asleep in a chair and started to snore loudly.

"What in the world... No, not that one either! No, no, no!" was things that Mr Ollivander muttered to himself as he handed Ted the one wand after the next. Eventually he said,

"My boy, I'm running out of ideas here!" He went over to one of his many shelves and browsed through the boxes for a good while, before he picked a box from a high shelf that was covered in dust and seemed to have been up there for quite a while. He gave it a good blow, before he opened it in the cloud of dust that had formed around him.

"Try, this one," he said and handed Teddy a beautiful, shiny black wand. Ted grabbed it by its curved handle and felt a surge of adrenaline through his head, like he had just been struck by lightning.

"How do you feel my boy?" Ollivander asked. Teddy thought for a bit and answered.

"Great. Real great!"

"I'd say. I believe your hair has even changed its color." Teddy looked at his reflection in the shop windows and noticed it had turned into a greenish kind of yellow. An ability that he had inherited from his mother who had been a metamorphmagus, and could change her entire appearance at will.

"Metamorphmagi! It was a while since I met one. Your mother, I believe." said Ollivander while Teddy screwed up his face and forced his hair to change back into his favorite turquoise.

"Yeah. But It's just my hair. I can't do anything else yet. Granny sais the ability hasn't matured enough." Teddy answered. "Instead it just changes by itself sometimes." Ollivander smiled.

"Well, well! You have taken after your mother, I see." he said, sounding intrigued. "Just as good, I suppose. You clearly have your fathers blood in you as well."

"Clearly?" Ted asked, wondering what the old shop-keeper meant.

"My boy! That wand you have in your hand has been lying on my shelf since I opened, and I have had it even longer. It was one of my early projects that was a bit, daring, if you will." Andromeda gave a noisy snore from her chair, and Ted was listening to Ollivander with great interest.

"I was playing around with alternative materials for the wand core, and I managed to find one that made a perfectly fine wand. It just didn't seem to suit anybody, and so I never sold it and it has been lying on the shelf ever since. I usually don't even take it out anymore, but I thought about your heritage and, well, it seems I was right!"

"My heritage? I don't understand, Sir. What is the wand made of?" Teddy asked.

"Moonstone, my boy! It seems rather fitting that you should have it."

His grandmother, who had woken up, beamed at Ted and payed the seven galleons for the wand before they thanked Mr Ollivander heartily and left his store.

Ted _had_ liked Mr Ollivander, he thought where he laid in bed, and he was very happy with his new wand. After recapping the day at Diagon Alley, the clock had gone well past one in the morning, and he finally fell asleep.


	3. The Magical Train

**The Magical Train**

He woke up very early, and found his clothes cleaned and pressed, folded over a chair. Ted suspected it was Kreacher who had done it, and so he whispered,

"Thanks Kreach!" into the empty room in hopes that he would hear it. Kreacher was his godfathers house elf. A short grown, magical being that dedicated itself to serving a family or household for all its life, for no pay or any sort of reward. Harry on the other hand had never asked him to do so, but had simply inherited him along with the house at Grimuald Place. Teddy also knew that his godfather had tried to pay the elf at one point, but Kreacher had been so horribly offended by the notion of taking salary that he had stayed grumpy for days.

Teddy got dressed and went downstairs. He was used to staying at Grimuald Place, and so he knew his way around the house. He went into the kitchen and found his godfather's wife Ginny sitting at the long dinner table, with the baby Lily in her arms whom she was feeding from a bottle. She looked very tired but still gave him a loving,

"Good morning, Teddy! Did you sleep at all?"

"Some." he said. "You all right, aunt Ginny?"

"I am. I slept very little when James and Albus were young as well, so I'm used to it," she replied with a vague smile. "Are you excited?" she asked him. Teddy nodded enthusiastically, before Ginny called,

"Kreacher!" and within seconds and with a loud pop, the house elf appeared right next to her.

"Mornin' milady! You called?" he said respectfully.

"Hi Kreacher. Would you mind getting Teddy some breakfast? I'd do it myself, but I have Lily," she said, and nodded towards Teddy. Kreacher bowed deeply, before turning on the spot toward Teddy.

"Of course, milady! Toast, eggs and pumpkin juice as usual, master Edward?"

"That'd be great! Thanks Kreach!" he answered and sat down with Ginny and Lily who made loud noises as she ate. They spoke about this and that. About Hogwarts and the sorting hat, and about student houses. They watched the sunrise outside the windows while Teddy ate his eggs. After a while a tall bespectacled man with jet green eyes and shaggy black hair that pointed in all kinds of directions, showed up in the doorway.

Teddy's godfather yawned and told Teddy good morning. He then walked in and hugged Ginny from behind where she sat, with one hand gently stroking baby Lily's head and gave his wife a peck on her cheek.

"Hello dear! How are my ladies this morning?" he said softly to his wife.

"Well, one of us is hungry and very tired, and the other one is already eating and sleeping at the same time. I never thought she would take after her uncles this much." Ginny answered with a smile. Harry gave Teddy a mischievous look and said,

"I seem to recall you managing that as well, love." before dodging Ginnys punch that she flung at him while balancing the baby perfectly in the other arm.

"Hey! You feed her next time she's hungry at five in the morning." she joked.

"Oh, no worries dear! Will you do the late night shift at the auror's office in my place?" Harry joked back.

"What? Hunt down the dark forces? We used to do that as children, Harry! It's easy!"

Teddy laughed at Ginny and his godfather joking around and Ginny then turned toward him and asked,

"Are you packed?" and Ted answered with a "Yup!" and Ginny turned back to her husband.

"Did you remember...?" she started, and Harry made a facial expression of suddenly remembering something.

"Oh, right!" and then he left the kitchen quickly.

He came back within seconds with something covered by a blanket. It looked like an owl cage, as far as Teddy could see.

"We'd like to give you a present for your first year at school," Harry said with a smile.

"Oh... You didn't have to..." Teddy began, felling uneasy, while also thinking about how useful it would be with his own owl, as wizards tended to send and receive their mail by owl-post. He didn't have time to say anything else though, as Harry removed the blanket from the thing, and revealed a bird cage and Teddy's eyes widened as the cage did not contain an owl, but a large black bird with a pearl white beak.

"It's a snowbeaked raven. There was an illegal shipment of these little guys that was raided by the ministry. They deduced that they haven't been tampered with, but had no place to keep them. So a couple of us took one in and I thought you two ought to like each other," Harry explained as he opened up the cage and let the bird out on the table.

"He seems rather intelligent I think, and I have already tried him with post which he's as good at as any owl. I reckon he'd be good to have," Harry went on as the raven walked around for a bit on the table. Teddy stretched out a finger towards it and the bird nibbled carefully on it. He didn't know what to say.

"Harry... Ginny, thank you so much! He's fantastic!" he exclaimed with happiness. He stroked the raven over its majestic feathers, and then a thought occurred to him.

"Harry, does he have a name?" he asked, and Harry stopped for a second.

"No, he doesn't. Well, he's registered as _Item-O-4532-B_ at the ministry, but I think he deserves something that's easier to, well, _remember_. So I think _you_ should name him, Ted." Harry said, and so Teddy thought for a while. It was a hard decision, but then it struck him.

"He's Grimuald, after Grimuald Place. I'll call him Grim!" he said, quite proud of himself. Lily made a squeeling noice.

"It's a great name Teddy!" said Ginny but Harry had started laughing loudly and didn't stop for quite some time.

"Oh boy! Professor Trelawney is going to have a field day with that if you take divination later on." he finally explained and carried on to tell Teddy about the Hogwarts professor of divination. An odd woman by the name of Sibyll Trelawney who had, in Harry's third year, predicted his death well over thirty times by an omen in the shape of a big black dog called _the Grim_.

"...so be sure to take that bird with you to class if you take divination. I promise, it'll be like nothing you've ever seen." and they all laughed.

The large clock out in the hall, rang for nine with a loud bell.

"Is it that much already? We better get going Ted! Get your trunk," his godfather said with a quick look at his own pocket watch and Teddy darted upstairs.

He came out of James's room seconds later and dragged his large trunk downstairs with loud bangs as it hit every step. Harry stood ready at the door, holding the cage containing Grim the raven and Ginny stood next to him with baby Lily in her arms to see them off at the door.

"Is Ted leaving already, daddy?" said a voice from the top of the stairs. Teddy looked around and saw two black haired boys standing in their pajamas on the second floor landing.

"I'm afraid so boys! He needs to catch his train to school, see," Harry explained to the boys great disappointment.

"I'll be home for Christmas you know!" Ted said to them both. "We'll make a snow man and I can hex it to scare muggles!" James and Albus both lit up at the idea.

"Yeah, yeah! We'll just see about that, mister. Boys! Say goodbye to Teddy! Harry said as he opened the door, and started to drag out Teddy's trunk. The boys waved to him with big smiles, and Ginny hugged him and gave him a kiss on his cheek which caused his hair to fade into pink.

His godfather waved them a taxi, whose muggle driver was rather impressed with Grim, who kept very quiet in his cage.

"I drove two lovely young girls to Kings Cross this mornin'! 'Dey'ad 'emselves trunks just like yours but two HUGE ruddy owls that made a racket that, I swear, could have woken d'dead!" The driver spoke fast, and made quick and aggressive turns through traffic.

"Come 'fink of it. 'Ere's always people with owls and trunks this time o' year! In'it weird?" he asked, eyeing Harry through his rearview mirror.

"Uhm, I suppose so... Never thought about really," Harry answered in an attempt to dismiss the question, as one of the most important rules of magic, was to keep it a secret from the non-magical people, or _muggles_ as they where called among wizards.

"Course you 'aven't You don't drive a taxi, do you?" the driver snapped back at Harry. "We meet the weirdos, you know!" The driver then made another rough turn that made Teddy's stomach jump, before the car stopped at an intersection for a red light.

"'Is like they all know each other to! They must! I mean... Robes, broomsticks, owls and big ol' weird books. There's somefing' going on out there, mark my words! I'm..."

"Obliviate!"

A soft blue light shone from Harry's wand which he was pointing at the driver in a discrete fashion, as the drivers' face was overcome with an expression of dumb relaxation.

The traffic light turned green, but not until the car behind sounded its horn, did the driver react and started to go on.

"Sorry, gents. Where'd you say you where headed again?" he asked, looking completely confused.

"Kings Cross!" Harry answered, putting his wand away. The memory charm seemed to have worked correctly, and Ted was wildly impressed with his godfather's skill.

"Better safe than sorry," Harry whispered to Ted.

A few minutes later, the taxi stopped outside Kings Cross station. Ted was feeling sick to his stomach from the bumpy ride and Harry payed the driver who looked as he hardly knew where he was, but accepted the payment with a smile and then drove off.

Ted walked several feet ahead of Harry, who could hardly keep up with Ted's overexcited pace.

"Come on, Harry!" he shouted back at his Godfather, impatiently.

"We have almost twenty-five minutes to walk across the station. We'll be on time, Teddy!" but Teddy didn't listen, and kept on with a light run toward the hall, that led to platforms nine and ten.

When Harry finally reached the pillar at the platform, having lost Teddy from sight way back, he found him standing just in front of it, looking straight at the bricks of the wall.

"I assumed that you'd have already boarded the train by now. What happened?" Harry asked.

"I don't know..." Ted began. "What if I'm no good at magic?" The thought had just struck him and he was now feeling very scared.

"What if everybody thinks I'm weird, and don't like me?" A million thoughts of worry were taking over and he was looking at his godfather for some sort of response.

"Ted... Almost everybody that has gone to Hogwarts had the same thoughts when they passed through here their first time, and then had the time of their lives. I see no reason why you wouldn't have it to. As for your skill, well, your parents where both very clever. Before myself, your mother was the youngest person in history to join the auror office, and your dad..." Harry smiled at Ted who was already feeling better.

"Your dad was a genius. One of the most skilled wizards that I ever met and a lot of the things that I know, _he_ taught me."

Ted stood there, still facing the wall of the pillar and pondering on what Harry had told him. He was still terrified, but feeling braver than before. The thought of making his parents proud gave him new strength, and he asked,

"So... I just walk into the wall?"

"Basically. Want to do it together?" his godfather asked with his hand stretched out towards him.

"No, thank you." I'll do it myself." Ted answered with newly found confidence, and started to push his trolley forward towards the yellow brick.

A great whistle sounded, and the air was suddenly filled with chatter, laughter and the noise of owls hooting in the distance. Ted looked around in amazement, and soon felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Well done, Teddy!" said Harry. "Now let's find you a seat."

The great, red, steam powered locomotive was a sight to be seen indeed, and Ted could do nothing but stare at the children of his own age all the way up to teenagers as big as trolls that was boarding the train and saying their goodbyes.

They found him a seat and managed to store away both his trunk and Grim the raven before they sat down together in the empty compartment.

"Still nervous?" Harry asked him.

"Nope!" lied Teddy. His godfather smiled at him.

"That's alright. I was nervous until my third or forth year I think." Ted chuckled at Harry, and felt even better.

"I mean. I grew up with my aunt and uncle who where, if you recall, magic hating muggles, so I knew nothing about any magic when I started. I ran around the station for almost an hour before I met Ginny, Uncle Ron and their brothers, who helped me to get through to the platform," and he nodded out the window. Ted just smiled, knowing from Harry's stories, exactly what kind of nightmare the Dursley's had been to grow up with.

They sat for a while and chatted about this and that, and Harry got several greetings and handshakes from passing grownups. Some that Teddy recognized, and some people that he had never seen before.

A tall, broad shouldered man of dark skin and a bald head, that Ted knew from photos in the papers as the minister of magic, came into the compartment. He was wearing a navy blue suit of muggle design.

"Ah! Potter! How are you doing?" he said and shook Harry's hand.

"Kingsley! Fine, thank you! What are you doing here, minister?" Harry asked.

"I'm seeing my kids off to school! It's my youngest first year! I'm quite thrilled, that their finally all going because I'm starting to feel like an old father. Is he yours, Potter?" Kingsley asked and nodded towards Teddy.

"No, minister! He's my godson. This is Edward Lupin, he's Reamus Lupin and Tonks's boy." Harry answered.

"Oh, I see. Well, there was something that didn't add up." Kingsley answered with a sad look on his face. "Good people, both of them. They'd be glad that you are starting school," he said and stretched out his hand towards Teddy.

"I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt. Minister of magic." Teddy shook his hand.

"Hello sir, I'm Ted. Ted Lupin, and thank you." he answered as properly as he could.

"Your first year at Hogwarts?" Kingsley asked, looking intrigued at Teddys hair.

"Yes, sir!" Teddy answered.

"Excellent! You'll be in the same year as my Tally!" he exclaimed and looked out the compartment door.

"Tally! Come in here! There's some people I want you to meet!" A moment later, a dark skinned girl with beautiful brown eyes and a pretty face, entered the compartment. She had long black hair in a braid over her shoulder, and she was already wearing her school robes.

"This is my daughter Thalia! Tally, this is Harry Potter, and Ted Lupin." said Kingsley as he in introduced them.

"Hello! I'm Thalia." she said, looking a bit shy.

"You two will be in the same year at school!" Thalia lit up.

"Oh! Fantastic! Do you play quidditch?" she suddenly said. Kingsley laughed at his daughter.

"Er, not really. I have flown a little. But I've never played properly." Teddy answered, feeling very dumb. He had flown a couple of times with Harry back home, and he had been very scared (although not admitting it to Harry or his grandparents).

"But Harry played seeker for Gryffindor. I seem to recall you were quite good as well, and your missus played for the Harpies, didn't she?" Kingsley said to Harry, and his daughter looked at Harry in amazement.

"Wow! Really?! What are the teams like? What broomstick do you fly? What does your wife fly? Does she still play?" Thalia was overcome with excitement, but to her disappointment, Harry had no time to answer before the train gave a loud whistle, and Harry and Kingsley had to get off.

"Good luck, Teddy! Don't forget to write us!" Harry said, giving Teddy a quick hug, and Kingsley did the same to Thalia.

"Have a good time, you two!" Kingsley said to them both as he and Harry exited the compartment and left Teddy and Thalia alone. They both sat down and as the train gave yet another whistle and started to move slowly, they both waved to Harry and the minister, before they vanished out of sight and started the journey on their way to school.

Even though Teddy had little experience with Quidditch, he and Thalia had no problem talking on the train.

"I'm going to be a professional Quidditch player. The best one in England. I'm already the best in my family at flying." she told Teddy, who had been telling her about his godfathers old racing broomstick, the _Firebolt._

"So, what position do you play?" Teddy asked her, intrigued by her love for the sport.

"All of them. Except for keeper. I get bored just hanging around the rings. I like being a chaser the best, seeker is okay and there's _nothing_ like knocking somebody of their broom with a bludger." She spoke fast and with such passion, that Teddy just sat by and listened for a long while.

A tiny old woman with a large cart, stack full of food and candy of all kinds, came by the compartment. Teddy still had a bit of money left from the day in Diagon Alley with his grandmother, and so he bought three pumpkin pasties and a pack of every-flavor beans. He didn't really care for the beans, but he and Thalia made up a game with them, where they split the bean in two and ate a half each, and the one that could call out what flavor it was first would win.

"My sister had the worst of luck with these. She got a kiwi-flavored one last year!" said Thalia while she was digging through the package for a new bean to compete over.

"What's wrong with kiwi?" Teddy asked, feeling like the paper tasting one they had just had would have been way worse.

"Nothin', but _she's_ allergic to kiwi," Thalia answered and then exclaimed "This is clearly tunafish!" as soon as the purple piece of bean touched her tongue. "That's ten to seven, and I'd say game!"

"Fine! But I'm still not sure of how you could possibly know what _dust_ tastes like." Teddy said, as he admitted defeat and tucked the rest of his every-flavor beans away.

"I got curious!" she answered, and they both laughed.

The compartment door opened, and a tall dark skinned boy poked his head in.

"Hey, Tally! There you are! I thought you sat with Chloe?" he said, looking at Thalia.

"No, she was sitting with Mark Bowler, and told me they'd snog the entire time if I didn't leave them alone." she said tiredly, and the boy made a noise of disgust.

"Ugh, I hate that guy. He's always talking to me about her, like we're friends. It's creepy, I'm telling you." He looked around, and noticed Teddy.

"Hey mate, I'm Sam! Tally's big brother."

"Hello, I'm Ted Lupin!" Teddy answered and was quickly taking a liking for both Thalia and her brother.

Sam sat down with them and talked for a while. He was fourteen years old, and starting his fourth year at Hogwarts. He belonged to Ravenclaw and he too, loved quidditch, even though he admitted to being a completely horrid flyer.

"He tried out for the house team last year to impress Olivia Williams and fell off his broom!" Thalia explained, while Sam covered his face in his hands in shame.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny! At least I tried!" he answered in an attempt to keep his pride.

The train started to slow down as the whistle made a loud noise again to tell them that they where arriving in a couple of minutes.

"You should switch to your robe!" Thalia told Ted, who had completely forgotten that he was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. "I'll step outside and let you change."

"I'll see you later Ted!" Sam said as he got out to find his friends. Teddy changed quickly into the comfortable robes and then let Thalia back in.

"What house do you think you'll be in?" she asked him. Teddy had forgotten about that.

"I don't know! What do you think?"

"Well, my dad was in Gryffindor, and my mum was in Ravenclaw like Sam, and my sister is in Slytherin. I'm hoping it's not Slytherin. Any of the others would be alright." she explained.

"Do you think the Slytherins are bad?" Teddy asked, having heard stories of how all evil people ended up there, even though his grandmother who was the kindest person he knew had been in Slytherin.

"No, I don't believe that. I just don't want to be in the same house as my sister. She's not evil, but nasty!" and Teddy laughed.

"What houses where your parents in?" she asked him. "I hear it can depend a lot on where your parents where." Teddy stopped for a bit. He hadn't planned to talk about his parents.

"My dad was in Gryffindor, and my mum was in Hufflepuff." he said quickly.

"Uh, alright! If we're lucky we'll end up together!" she answered him, with a big smile. The train then gave one last loud whistle and seconds later came to a complete stop. They got off the train together and went out.

"FERST' YEARS OVER HERE!" boomed a loud voice, and when Teddy and Thalia turned, they laid eyes on the towering beast of a man that was Rubeus Hagrid.

Hagrid was a half-giant in every sense of the word. His mother had been a giantess and his father human, and because of his giant heritage, he stood a good eleven foot-six above the ground. He had long and unkempt grey-striped black hair and beard that covered most of, not only his head, but most of his upper torso as well. Anybody meeting the man that would dwarf even the tallest person, would be startled at the very least. But Hagrid was as kind-hearted as they come and would never hurt a fly, or let anybody else hurt even the beastliest of flies for that matter. He was dressed in a large moleskin coat, and he held a large lantern in front of his face.

"WOA!" Thalia exclaimed as she laid eyes on Hagrid and starred with an open mouth. When Hagrid laid eyes on Ted in the surrounding ocean of first years that just barely reached above his knees, he greeted him with a nod and big smile.

"You know him?!" Thalia whispered to Ted, who felt a little proud.

"Yeah, that's Hagrid. He's the best!" he whispered back, as Hagrids' voice boomed across the station, that had now been emptied of all other students.

"Name's Rubeus Hagrid! I'm the Hogwarts groundskeeper, as well as your future Professor in Care of Magical Creatures! Now! As is tradition, you lot will reach the castle by boat! SO! If you will all follow me!"

The huge man started making his way off the station and towards the small docks of a nearby lake, and all the eleven-year olds had to walk quite fast to keep up with Hagrids long striding steps. A great number of boats were waiting for them by a small dock, and Ted and Thalia quickly jumped into one to make sure they didn't lose each other. They were joined by a curly red-haired girl and a blonde boy that for some reason wore a pair of sunglasses even though it was a particularly dark September evening.

"A'right! Sit down during the ride, and keep your hands inside the boats!" warned Hagrid from a boat that was only occupied by him alone. The huge man then proceeded to tap the side of the boat with a small umbrella, and at the same time, all the boats slowly floated out over the water.

It had already gotten quite dark and the evening was still and quiet, part from the whispers among the kids in the boats.

"My brother told me there's a huge squid living in the lake…" Thalia said with a concerned whisper. "I hope it doesn't sink us."

"Oh yeah, Harry told me about it. It lifts you back into the boat if you fall over board. Apparently, he's a nice guy," Ted whispered back.

"Really? What else has your godfather told you?" Thalia asked while keeping a somewhat suspicious eye on the water.

"That it's Grindylogs you should look out for. They've got these long fingers that they wrap around your legs and then pulls you down into the seaweed to drown."

Thalia looked up at Ted with wide eyes.

"I don't think I like the lake," she established with a concerned look and moved a bit to make sure that she sat in the middle of the boat. Moments later, Ted forgot any worry that had arisen in him as they passed around a creek and saw a sight that neither of them would forget for as long as they should live.

A massive castle of stone rose its towers towards the night sky before them. The night had colored it black, even though a light shone from every single window. A murmur of amazement spread among the boats as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry towered before them.

Hogwarts, their new home.


	4. The Sorting Cermony

**The Soring Ceremony**

"Welcome, first years!" squeaked the tiniest man that Ted had ever seen in his life. "My name is Professor Filius Flitwick, and I am your deputy headmaster, as well as your professor of Charms."

The students had been gathered right before a large pair of doors that as whispers had explained it, would lead them to the great hall and, to Ted and Thalia's joy, a feast. Some of the students behind them stood on their toes to peek over each other's shoulders to see the tiny wizard standing before them. He wore black robes, and had a grey mustache that was probably twice as wide as his head.

"In just a few moments, you will pass through these doors and sit down for a feast with your soon to be, classmates," Flitwick explained as whispers of happiness over the thought of food spread among the hungry students.

"BUT," Flitwick interrupted and silenced all whispers. "First, you must take part in the sorting ceremony, and be sorted into your student houses. Gryffindoor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin."

"Please, not Slytherin," Ted heard Thalia whisper underneath her breath as Flitwick kept explaining about house points and the house cup. He couldn't blame her, as he too had a lump the size of a bludger in the pit of his stomach, but he wasn't certain of why. Slytherin didn't bother him. His gran had been a Slytherin and he decided then and there, that whatever was good enough for Andromeda Tonks, was good enough for him.

"Now, if you will all follow me please!" Flitwick squeaked again and snapped his fingers. As the snap echoed through the large hallway, the great pair of doors opened behind him and he turned on the spot.

The great hall was filled with students, all sitting at four long tables that ran down the length of the great hall. On the far side of the hall, stood a smaller table looking out over the hall, where all the teachers sat and at the center of it on a large golden chair, sat an elderly witch with a smile on her face, but a pair of tiny blue eyes that positively pierced them from the other side of the room.

As Ted and the other first years walked across the hall, he saw the witch's sharp features, and knew from the hair knot and her tiny spectacles that Ted had definitely seen her in a photo at the Potters house, but he couldn't remember who it was.

In front of the teachers table stood a small stool, with a tattered old wizards hat resting on it. Flitwick walked up to it and with a flick of his wand, the hat hovered high up in the air of the great hall.

"Woa!" Ted heard the blonde boy in the sunglasses that he had shared a boat with, exclaim out of wonder at the flying hat, and when the hat then started to sing, Ted wasn't late to share the boy's amazement.

 _All you who come here for molding and learning,_

 _I may be a hat, but I know well of thy yearning._

 _To think and to grow and to search for your place_

 _in a world that needs you keep a fire ablaze._

 _The castle will home you, if you so should want._

 _You'll find no school better, as is our true vaunt._

 _So, step up and let me find a place for you each._

 _Your hearts true desire's well within my reach._

 _I'll know what it is that you lack, like and love._

 _Just let me give you, towards the right path, a shove._

 _The weak have been through here, but so have the greats._

 _So, give it your all and you'll share in their fates._

 _Hardship and darkness can spread through the night._

 _But by hard work and friendship we can turn on the light._

 _Now it's your turn to a journey begin,_

 _And for the older, a new member, win._

 _This was my story, and all I must say._

 _It's time to begin, let's start with the A…_

The great hall roared of applause, mostly from the older students and teacher who laughed and clapped at the singing hat, which slowly sank to just a few feet above the little stool, all under the control of Flitwicks wand. With his free hand, he took out a roll of parchment and cleared his throat, as the hall fell silent again.

"Ahem! I will now call your names in order. You will come up here, sit down and have the hat placed on your head. When you have been sorted, you are free to go and join the table of your new house."

He looked down at the list through his tiny pair of glasses, and cleared his throat again.

"Adams, Lara!" Flitwick squeaked as everybody present sat or stood in absolute silence to watch a taller brown haired girl step forward and sit down on the stool. She looked awfully nervous as the hat softly sat down on her head, but when the hat suddenly roared, "RAVENCLAW!" the Ravenclaw table all clapped, cheered loudly and waved at her to come sit down with them in a very warm and inviting matter.

The kind gestures made the girl look less nervous, and it did wonders for Ted as well. Seems like a good start at least, he thought as Mylo Aramis, the blonde boy with the sunglasses, was sorted into Hufflepuff with just as much clapping and cheering before the sorting continued.

Ted looked to his side at Thalia who, to his envy, no longer looked nervous but cheered and clapped with the others whenever anybody was sorted. He took a deep breath, and tried to gather his thoughts.

"Why are you so worried? You'll be fine!" he asked himself.

"Ted! Psst! Ted!" Thalia whispered to him.

"What?!" Ted snapped back.

"Your hair…" she started, and Ted felt his stomach roll over.

"Oh no, not now… What color is it?" Ted asked and tried to pull some part of his hair far enough over his brow that he could see it.

"Well, it's sort of… purple-ish," Thalia tried to explain.

Ted closed his eyes and tried to focus to turn it back, but he couldn't get it to work. His heart was raising as the sorting continued while several heads turned toward him to get a look of the odd phenomena that was occurring on the top of his head.

"No, turn back!" he told himself and tried as hard as he could to activate his inherit ability, when Flitwick suddenly squeaked,

"Lupin, Edward!"

Ted couldn't move. He wanted nothing less than to move out of the first-year crowd with a head of shining purple hair. Maybe he could just sneak back? He had no time to either hide or sneak away, as Thalia suddenly gave him a push forward.

"Common, GO!" she whispered.

He stumbled out of the crowd and walked the few feet, that now felt like at least a few miles, towards the stool. He looked around, and saw a very young and ruggedly handsome wizard at the end of the teachers table, that followed him with his eyes. He too, had Ted seen in a photo at the Potters, but had never heard the name of. The wizard kept a waking eye on him, even until he reached the stool and sat down.

Flitwick gave him a smile as he felt the hat cover his purple head.

"Why hello, young one," sounded the sorting hats voice inside of his head.

"Oh, interesting. Lots to look at in here…" the voice continued. "There's courage and strength. A rather large portion of that raw cleverness that the third marauder brought with him back in the day."

"The third what?" Ted whispered, but the hat continued.

"A good head, and a large heart. A wish to prove yourself, as so many before you, and OH! A wish for power! How very interesting. But not power to dominate, but power to protect. Power to stand on your own."

Ted felt increasingly uneasy at the hats free roaming throughout his mind.

"Are you willing to work for it? Will you toil to excel?"

Ted took a deep breath.

"Absolutely!" he whispered.

"Very well then… I think you'll fit well in your family's former halls of…"

It was as if time stood still for the second it took before the hat roared,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The heavy feeling in his chest was suddenly lifted with the hat as it jumped of his head. He turned happily and ran down towards the Hufflepuff table as the older, now house mates, clapped and cheered and waved him over. He sat down next to the blonde boy, that was named Mylo who patted him on the back as he took a seat.

"Cool hair, mate!" an older boy told him, and as Ted thanked him, he felt the still sensation in his scalp that told him his hair changed back into his favorite teal. Murmers of amazement at the changing of his hair color spread around his seat.

The sorting continued and Ted and Mylo joined into the clapping and cheering whenever somebody new joined the table. The list grew shorter, and when Flitwick finally called for, "Shacklebolt, Thalia!" several heads turned and whispers ensued from the students that recognized her last name as that of the minister of magic.

The hat stayed on her head for several minutes, before it finally roared,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Ted waved Thalia over, along with cheers and clapping and she took her place across from Ted.

"Lucky, eh?" Thalia sighed as she sat down.

"I'd say!" Ted exclaimed as Flitwick called the next name.

When William Wilson had taken his place among the other Gryffindoor's, Flitwick tapped the hat with his wand and both it, and the stool faded into nothing. It left a clear space where a golden podium in the shape of a pillar crowned with three cats that each held a candle by the paw appeared instead.

"And now, before the feast. A few words from our Headmistress. Professor Minerva McGonagall!" squeaked Flitwick and stepped away as the witch at the center of the teachers table walked around it and stepped up to the podium.

"Good evening everyone. It is to my great pride and joy that I welcome you all back to a new year at Hogwarts!"

Absolute silence ensued. Not a single student in the hall dared whisper or even giggle as Professor McGonagall spoke.

"First, to our first-years. Welcome. I hope that you will enjoy your time here as much as we enjoy having you."

"Second! As some of you know, last year we took farewell of our dear professor Sprout as she decided to retire. I am however glad to introduce to you, our new professor of Herbology. Professor Neville Longbottom!"

The handsome wizard that had been looking at Ted stood up and gave a humble bow. His hair was combed and he wore well-tailored robes over shirt, waist coat and bow-tie. Ted remembered him now as an old friend of his godfathers. Ted figured that professor Longbottom probably remembered him from Harry and Ginny's wedding or the like.

"We wish you good luck, professor!" McGonagall continued.

"Furthermore, the forbidden forest is as stated _forbidden_ grounds for any student not in the company of a teacher. There are some inescapably good reasons that it is labeled _forbidden_ , and so I suggest that you all leave it be.

Now, I know you must all be famished, and so on that note I leave you to your supper. Welcome back, everyone!"

She beamed at every student in the hall before she put her hands together in a loud clap.

Food. What could only be described as mountains of food appeared as if out of nowhere. Chicken wings, chips, fried potatoes, lamb chops, grilled tomatoes and endless pots of different curries where only a few of the things that appeared in between Ted, Thalia and Mylo.

"It smells nice," said Mylo in a calm voice and reached for a platter of grilled mushrooms.

"Id tashtesh' betta'," said Thalia with a mouth full of baked beans. They ate to their hearts contempt and chatted about this and that.

"Hey, Ted! Why did that new teacher look at you like that?" Mylo asked.

Ted shrugged.

"I don't really know, but I think he knows my godfather."

"Interesting," Mylo said peacefully and kept nibbling carefully at his grilled tomato. "I guess we'll find out soon enough," he finished in the same oddly peaceful tone.

Ted stopped and looked at Mylo who didn't move.

"Has anybody ever told you that you're a bit odd?"

"They never stop, really," he answered and smiled. Ted chuckled at the boy that wore sunglasses to dinner.

An hour later, they had been led by a prefect to the Hufflepuff common room, and they had found their beds with all their things unpacked and neatly put away. Thalia had told them good night and gone into the girls' dorm, and Mylo had followed Ted into the boys.

The nervousness was gone as he laid in bed that evening. He had met new friends, and classes was to begin in the morning. He could hardly wait.


	5. Toil

**Toil and Trouble**

The life at Hogwarts proved far more difficult than Ted would have ever imagined. Just as he had worried, he was not only unskilled. He was close to completely hopeless.

The Boil Cure potion that the elderly professor Slughorn had instructed them to do, had exploded in his face and actually, given him a large boil rather than curing anything at all. The levitation charm in Flitwicks class had just broken his practice feather in half, and when professor Clearwater had asked him to transfigure a match into a needle, all he managed to do was to turn his own hair white.

"It's not that bad. We're here to practice, right?" Thalia asked him as they were heading across the grounds towards the green house for their very first herbology lesson.

"We're still getting graded. You got it right, didn't you?" Ted moped as he kicked a stone over the courtyard.

"Well, yeah, but it was green," she responded.

"You still made magic…" he continued with a sour tone.

As the both of them walked up to the green house, they met Mylo. He was still wearing his sunglasses and stood looking up at the sunny September sky.

"Don't worry about it, Ted. You heard how Mylo's needle whistled, right?"

"I heard it. I think it turned out better than a normal needle," Mylo answered absentmindedly and followed them inside the greenhouse, where Ted sat down at the long table that ran along the length of the odd classroom. Flowerbeds and pots with every kind of imaginable plant were spread around the classroom. Thalia was about to sit down next to Ted when she suddenly stopped in her step.

"TED!" she said with an alarmed voice.

Ted looked up, and saw how Thalia stood still and pointed at something behind him. Even Mylo who seemed to always carry a somewhat over relaxed disposition stood absolutely still. Ted turned around, and laid eyes on a massive flowerpot next to the blackboard. In the dirt of the pot however, rested no plant. Instead it was occupied by the biggest toad that either of the three had ever seen in their lives.

"Don't move!" Thalia whispered, and they didn't. They sat as still as humanly possible and just watched the toad watch them. It stood at least two feet high where it sat in the pot. Its huge yellow eyes was easily the size of cantaloupes, and its massive swollen neck was several times larger than a football.

"What is that thing?" whispered a brown haired ravenclaw boy at the far end of the table.

"He's a toad," said a voice behind the group of students. Ted turned from the beastly creature and realized that Professor Longbottom had just entered the greenhouse.

"How come it's so large?" Thalia asked.

"HIS name is Trevor, and I honestly have no idea how he came to grow to that size," Professor Longbottom explained as he walked up the graveled path along the students table.

"But I think that the fact that, if he was a wizard he'd be old enough to have retaken his NEWTS twice, could be part of the cause," the professor continued until he reached the blackboard.

"Please take a seat!" he said before he turned to the board and picked up a chalk.

"I… am your professor of Herbology," he said as he wrote his name on the board.

"Professor Neville Longbottom," he finished. A few giggles at the professors last name was heard from the far end of the table, but the professor reacted.

"Believe you me, I have heard them all," he said with a smile. "Now! Today we are going to talk about something called the Bouncing Bulb. Has anybody ever heard of it?"

Nobody spoke or raised their hand. The only thing that they were still doing, was keeping a somewhat wary eye on Trevor the toad.

"No, I'm not surprised you haven't. I've only ever known one person to finish A Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi before classes even started, and it's probably just as well that you haven't."

He turned to the large toad as the class listened intently.

"Trevor, if you will?"

The large toad gave a bellowing croak as it opened its large maws and extended a massive tongue which it used to reach up to the roof and pull down a screen covered in pictures of a bright pink plant, in front of the black board. Faster than any of the students could blink, the toad dragged the snakelike tongue back into its mouth, before it gave another croak.

"Thank you, Trevor," professor Longbottom said and took out his wand.

"Illudis!" he said with a flick of the wand, and Ted watched in amazement how the length of the professors' wand extended well beyond three feet, before he used it to point at the largest picture of the pink plant with a snap.

" _The Bouncing Bulb_ , is a so called locomotive plant. Meaning it has a tendency to move about by bouncing," the professor started to explain. "and its primary use, beyond the juice working as a fantastic pumpkin fertilizer, is as an important ingredient in most of your basic variety of potions."

Professor Longbottom then proceeded to give one of the most interesting lectures on the most boring subject that Teddy had ever heard of. He went over the root system and its extremely flexible layers, which gave it its bouncing ability, before he shrunk his enlarged wand and had Trevor retract the picture screen again.

"…Not to mention that a breaded and grilled slice of bulb goes well into a butty with a side of my grans gravy!" he finished with a wink. "Now! Can anybody tell me, from what I told you now, how would one go about disabling the bouncing effect?"

Several hands went into the air.

"Over two hundred new names to learn…" he muttered before he pointed at a blonde Hufflepuff girl that Teddy hadn't talked to yet. "You! Name?"

"Shea Finnigan," the girl answered.

Professor Longbottom looked at her with interest.

"Any relation to Seamus Finnigan?"

"Yes, sir. My uncle," the girl nodded.

"Wonderful! Send him my best, will you? Now tell us about the bulb, please!"

The girl called Shea cleared her throat, as Teddy, Thalia and Mylo looked back and forth between his classmate and professor, with great interest.

"The moisture in between the layers, would create a natural gas, right? Like in an onion?"

"Continue," professor Longbottom said quickly with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, heating up the gas, would create an overpressure, right? Eventually make it leak out, and increasing the bulbs density?"

"Yes?" Professor Longbottom encouraged.

"So… Burning charm?" the girl answered.

"Good, but why wouldn't I just use a cutting charm to puncture it?" professor Longbottom countered.

The girl started to look worried, but continued.

"The outer layer is too thick and flexible. It's almost liquid. I don't think a cutting charm would be able to puncture it!" she finished with a nervous and shaky tone, but professor Longbottom beamed at her.

"Absolutely excellent, miss Finnigan! I'll give you ten points for working that out!"

Shea smiled as she received several pats on the back for her knowledge.

"Now, miss Finnigan! Do you know how to use a basic burning charm?" Longbottom asked, but Shea turned slightly pink, and nodded.

"Excellent, then you'll assist me in a little demonstration. Wand at the ready, please, miss Finnigan!"

Teddy looked on with interest at Shea who withdrew her wand from her robe and stood, awkwardly awaiting new instructions as professor Longbottom picked a small wooden box from a nearby shelf. He opened it, and picked a small purple berry-like object in the size of a snitch, from it and said, "I never thought I'd be saying this, but please, Finnigan, burn away!"

Then he threw it softly onto the table, and Teddy and the rest of the class watched how it bounced over the table in long, wide arcs.

Shea raised her wand, and with a quick flick she said, " _Incendio!"_

Bright orange sparks flew from her wand, and hit the bulb mid-air. It quickly erupted in a flash of yellow flames before it fell to the table with a splash.

Teddy was wildly impressed with his classmates' skill, and couldn't help feeling the knot in his stomach grow another size. Shea made it look so simple. Nothing but a swish and a flick, and it just worked. Why couldn't he do that? He joined in the applause that both professor and class were giving the blushing Shea as she put her wand away, when in reality, he was feeling a lot more hopeless now than before.

"Have another ten points, miss Finnigan!" professor Longbottom praised, as he used his own wand to pick up the burned bulb from the table and sent it flying towards Trevor the toad, who just opened his mouth and swallowed the fruit, with a satisfied croak.

"That's it for today," he said over the laughter and cheering. "Pages thirty through forty until Monday, when we will harvest Moly flowers! See you then!"

That very same evening, Teddy sat in the Hufflepuff common room, pointing his wand at a wax candle. Next to him laid the standard book of spells, open on the page of the burning charm as Teddy kept repeating its incantation while waving his wand about.

" _Incendio._ "

" _Incendio!_ "

"INCENDIO!"

Nothing happened. No sparks. No nothing.

He was hopeless.


	6. Trouble

**5\. Trouble**

To add insult to injury, a rumor had started to spread as the weeks went on. A rumor of a student walking the halls of Hogwarts, who happened to carry nothing less than werewolf's blood.

"That's him. His dad used to teach here, but he was kicked out."

"What for?"

"He was a werewolf. I think he ate a student or something."

They whispered behind his back, and each story was more terrible than the next. The Wolfboy had come to Hogwarts.

"You should try to see the positive side of it, Ted. Wolfboy is a fantastic nickname," Thalia said as she scooped cornflakes into a bowl.

"Yeah? You have it then…" Teddy muttered and settled with nothing but a glass of pumpkin juice for his breakfast.

"If you were to start calling me Wolfgirl, I wouldn't complain," she answered as she ate.

"Funny, very funny, Thalia."

"Common! We could make it your thing! We could start our own rumor! That if you get angry, you'll pounce and bite their necks!"

Both Ted and Mylo looked at Thalia, without saying a word.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help…"

They ate quietly for a while, before Mylo asked,

"Was your dad really…?"

"No, he wasn't kicked out! He left on his own," Teddy retaliated quickly.

"But he was…?"

"Yes."

Teddy didn't feel that comfortable with hearing the word just now. His new nickname was more than enough for the moment. Mylo seemed satisfied with the answers though, and so they finished their breakfast before they headed off to their class in Defence Against the Dark Arts.

The teacher of the subject and head of Hufflepuff house, Professor Morgan LeBeau, was also a fairly new edition to the Hogwarts teaching staff. She was in her late thirties and beautiful in a deadly kind of way. Her skin was dark, while her long curly hair was bright purple, and her obsession with dark arts and the macabre made her both intriguing and terrifying.

"Good morning, my dear mortals!" she greeted them, just as every morning. She had her back turned towards them, and she was busy writing on her blackboard.

"Hufflepuffers! My very own little souls to ferry over the waters of knowledge!" she murmured as she kept writing while the class took their seats in silence, not certain what to do as of yet.

"She's crazier than a bag of cats," Thalia whispered to Mylo as they took their seats behind Teddy. Suddenly the professor spun around and fixed her eyes on Thalia who froze in her seat. She stayed on Thalia for what was probably a full minute, before she spoke.

"Now, class! Has anyone of you ever tried to speak to the dead?" she asked, but saw no hands in the air.

"Good, my dears! It's a very rude thing to do!"

Ted carefully turned back, to see Thalia still frozen in her seat with eyes wide with horror, and Mylo who just sat quiet and peaceful as always.

"Yesterday I had a spiritual moment, my dears. I had a bath and I painted, and then I decided that the old curriculum was a very negative influence in my life, and so I burned the lot," the professor continued.

"Then I made a new one, and I _really_ feel like it's going to be fun for everyone!"

Nobody reacted, but just starred at the somewhat odd teacher.

"First on the agenda! VAMPIRES!"

Now there was a wave of ooh's going over the classroom, and even Teddy pointed his ears.

"How interesting," said Mylo softly behind Teddy, and Teddy agreed. Finally, something to take everyone's minds off of werewolves, he thought as Professor LeBeau started to tell them all about her great-grandmother who had been Prima Lami (Like a queen) of the Toulouse Vampire Society in the 18th century.

"And then she died, back in 1957, and joined her ancestors in the afterlife, having been a vampire queen for well over a hundred years. Truly a remarkable woman!"

"How would one go about killing one?" asked a voice from the back of the classroom, and the class turned. In the back, next to the door, stood a second year Slytherin-girl, leaning against the wall. She had black hair tied in a long braid, and blue eyes that starred intently at Teddy.

"Why ever would you want to kill one!? They are remarkably powerful creatures!" the professor protested.

"I only mean in the sense of self defence, of course, professor!" the girl said. "How do you kill dangerous creatures like that? You know vampires… or _werewolves_ ," she finished and looked over to Teddy with a smug smile.

Teddys felt rage build up in his chest, and he had to hold on to his desk to make sure that he wouldn't actually follow Thalias advice and pounce her. The professor however, oblivious of what was actually going on, just sat down on the edge of her own desk before answering.

"Well, the vampires are normally neutralised by a stake to the heart, or by beheading them," LeBeau started explaining.

"As for werewolves, they're more difficult. The best thing one can do is to make sure that the person takes their wolfsbane potion regularly. If you can't do that, then my best advice is my uncles old mantra, _stun and run_."

The class listened intently, but seemed to stare at Teddy at the same time, while Teddy just wished he could sink through the floor.

"So, basically just kill on sight, then? Too dangerous to be left alive?" the girl continued.

"Well no, I would… Hang on! Miss Hastings, you are not in this class? Why are you here?" the professor suddenly realized.

"Just peaked in out of curiosity, professor!" the girl answered but kept her stare fixed on Teddy, though this time the professor seemed to have realized that something was going on.

"Leave, miss Hastings - Now!" the professor said firmly. The girl just scoffed before she turned and left.

"I think we'll call it a day there, actually. Read the introduction to chapter five until tomorrow. If anybody dies before then, I'd enjoy an interview with your spirit! Thank you!"

Teddy gathered his things, and left the classroom behind Thalia and Mylo.

"My sister knows her. Viola Hastings. She's a cow," Thalia whispered to Teddy as they walked through to corridors. "Don't bother with her."

"Hey, Wolfboy!" yelled a voice from doors to the bathroom. The trio stopped, and looked at Viola who loitered on a bench with two of her Slytherin classmates. A wide faced girl, and a boy with greasy hair and lots of spots.

"Common, Teddy, just ignore them," said Thalia, pulling at Teddys shirt, but Teddy was coming closer and closer to having enough, and stood his ground.

"Yes?" he asked defiantly, as Viola walked up to him. She was probably a full head taller than him, and Teddys heart was pounding away out of both fear and anger. Other students passed back and forth around them, but Teddy didn't move an inch.

"Does the headmaster even know about you? Are they aware that they let an animal go to school?"

"Knock it off, Viola. Common, Teddy, let's just leave," Thalia tried again, and now Viola turned her attention toward her instead.

"Or you what? You'll tell you daddy, the minister? How old is he now? Has he had a hundredth birthday yet?" Thalia didn't listen, and just stuck her tongue out at Viola, as she tugged at Teddy's sleeve again.

"Oh, that's how it is! Daddy-minister is doing the whole _werewolves are people too_ charade, and you are sweet on his daughter, so he got you in!"

"I have a bad feeling about this," whispered Mylo from where he stood, before Viola continued.

"Is that why you are friends with him? To help out daddy? I suppose I can't blame you, but personally I wouldn't get too close to…"

"SHUT UP!" Teddy roared so loudly that some students stopped in the corridor to have a look at the commotion.

"Careful everyone! He might get angry! But I don't think you have to worry! As I hear it he can't even do magic...!" Viola continued when Teddy felt something snap inside him. He rushed at Viola and got ready to punch her, when he was suddenly pushed back and flung to the ground, as if an invisible wall fell over him.

"STOP!" yelled a voice so loudly that it made their ears ring. Professor McGonagall came walking through the hall, wand in hand.

"Mr Lupin. Whichever of your classes was it that made you think violence is acceptable at Hogwarts?"

Teddy got up from the ground. Pink faced and shaking with anger.

"But, ma'am, she…!" he tried.

"I don't want to hear it, as it does not matter! I do not accept fights in these halls," said McGonagall. Viola stood a few feet away, with arms crossed and smirking at Teddy who was so upset that he felt ready to explode.

"Twenty points will be taken from Hufflepuff. You'll avoid detention this time, but NOT the next. Am I making myself clear, Mr Lupin?"

Teddy sighed, looking at the floor.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Now be on your way, the lot of you," she said and shooed the gathering of students.

"Common, let's go now, Teddy!"

"Not so fast, miss Hastings."

Viola stopped in her step with her cronies, and turned.

"What is it, professor? You saw that he was about to hit me, didn't you?" she responded, with a tone that reeked of false innocence.

"I did see, miss Hastings, but I can also hear quite well. I would suggest you give some thought of _how to act your age_ ," the professor said before she finished by saying, "ten points from Slytherin, should be enough to help you remember that."

The professor walked off, as sudden as she had appeared, and Teddy followed her example by rushing off with Thalia and Mylo.

"That McGonagall, though. She's… wow!" Thalia said as they sat down for lunch.

"She wouldn't even listen to me!" Teddy protested.

"Well, she already heard what that Viola said to you… She didn't need to hear it again," said Mylo.

"I suppose... Still not sure about her though," Teddy muttered.

"Don't you think on it, Teddy. We have herbology after lunch anyway. Longobottom's cool," said Thalia.

She was right, Teddy thought. It would have been easier not to think about it. But sometimes you can't help it.


	7. The Shacklebat

**6\. The Shacklebat**

"Mylo, can I ask you something?"

Mylo didn't seem to take his eyes off of his cereal when Teddy asked, but answered, "anything you'd like", with his everyday nonchalance. Teddy had been wanting to ask for a good while, but wasn't certain whether or not Mylo would take offence. He was spending most of his time with Thalia and his bespectacled friend, but even though Mylo slept in the bed next to Teddy's, he had still never seen Mylo without the glasses on.

"How come you always wear those glasses?" Teddy asked.

"I'm sorry, do they bother you?" Mylo answered with concern in his voice.

"No! Nothing like that! It's just… Well, it's Scotland in October", Teddy continued and tried to make a face implying how weird it was.

"So?" Mylo answered between his spoonful's of cereal. He didn't seem to grasp Teddy's interest in his sunglasses.

"…and, I mean… some boy got told off last week for wearing a baseball cap. But Madame LeBeau has never said anything about your…"

"I'm blind", Mylo interrupted. Silence ensued as Teddy just starred at his friend.

"You're blind?"

Mylo nodded. Teddy wasn't sure what to say.

"Wha… How come? Can't it be fixed?" he asked.

"Can't. It was a curse, when I was five", Mylo explained. "Glasses are so I won't spoil your appetite. From what I've been told, it's not very pleasant to see."

Mylo spoke about it as if it was the most common and obvious thing in the world but even so, Teddy felt odd asking too much about it.

"I'm sorry", was the only thing he could come up with and Mylo just shrugged.

"Not your fault, is it?" Mylo said, when Thalia came rushing over to their table.

"Oi! Guys!"

"Good morning, Thalia", Mylo greeted her and went back to his cereal, as if they hadn't just talked about the loss of his sight. Teddy sat still and kept looking worriedly at Mylo's glasses as Thalia sat down with such speed that she sent a plate of toast flying into the floor, and looked in between them both.

"GUYS! They've got Quidditch try-outs today," she exclaimed as she got the boys' attention.

"Oh, that could be fun to watch", Mylo answered. "Do you know anybody trying out?"

Thalia gave Mylo a stupid look.

"I am, dimwit!"

"Oh, I thought first years couldn't try out?" Mylo asked.

"They can try out, but they are basically never EVER picked," Thalia explained. "Except me of course."

"You can get picked if you are good enough. My godfather was picked in his first year, even _after_ try-outs was over!"

Thalia pointed with her whole arm at Teddy, and smiled.

"See! They'll pick me! I'm Thalia Shacklebolt! The best player in the world!" She was standing up next to the breakfast table, and shouting so loudly that some of the older students at the table over started laughing at her.

Later that day, Teddy and Mylo accompanied a somewhat less confident Thalia down to the Qudditch pitch to cheer for her at the try-outs. She came out of the locker room, dressed in black and yellow striped qudditch garb and Teddy and Mylo cheered loudly as she walked up to the Hufflepuff quidditch captain, Milton Haynes.

"Thalia Shacklebolt, first-year", she presented herself proudly. Haynes looked up from his list for a second, and looked at Thalia from top to bottom.

"Sorry, no first years," he said before he looked back down, and called on a broad shouldered fifth-year girl. Teddy felt sorry for Thalia. He knew just how much she was looking forward to play for the house team. He had also seen her in flying class, and knew that when maybe not the best in the world, she was definitely one of the best players in their year.

"Hey, we can still watch the try-outs," Teddy said to Thalia, and got ready to leave the pitch to find seats, but Thalia didn't move.

"Hey, you!" she shouted at Haynes, who was a good three heads taller than her. He sighed and looked at her without answering.

"I'm trying out for the team. I'm not leaving until you let me have a go."

Haynes sighed again, and looked over to his team-mate who just laughed at Thalia.

"I'm not going to pick you, so there's no point in you having a try. There's always some cocky first year who thinks he's all that, and I'm not bothering with your lot this year."

"Common, Thalia let's go", Teddy tried, feeling uncomfortable with all the attention they were attracting. Some of the older Hufflepuffs were already looking at him and whispering to each other.

"NO! I have been flying since I could walk. Don't you stand here and think you know what I'm about before you even seen me fly! LET-ME-TRY!"

Thalia's brown face was flustered with anger at the stubborn captain and even though Haynes seemed unimpressed, the girl next to him, dressed in beaters garb, laughed.

"Merlin's beard. Give her a go! She'll hurt herself and be out of our hair!"

Haynes sighed again and nodded as Teddy and Mylo cheered happily for Thalia who ran off to grab herself a broomstick.

"All right! You lot!" Haynes shouted loudly across the pitch. "Chasers are next!"

Thalia hurried to line up with the other students looking to take one of the chaser spots.

"We've got two spots. You each get ten attempts at the rings. Amy's keeping," he explained and nodded to the girl next to him, who mounted her broom and kicked off like a rocket, soaring towards the rings.

First out was a fourth-year boy, who scored six out of ten. Even though Teddy watched his goals with great interest, he was even more impressed with Amy the keeper, who moved so quickly that Teddy had trouble following her.

"She's quite skilled, isn't she?" Mylo said calmly as he rubbed his hands together for warmth. Teddy didn't answer but looked up against the rings.

Second out was an incredibly pretty fifth-year girl, who seemed to be distracting Haynes to the point of not being able to talk properly. Amy however, was not distracted and managed to save eight of her throws.

Third out, was a round faced boy who Teddy thought looked to be less than cut out for the game of Quidditch, but turned out to be like a bird in the sky when he got on his broom and made Amy swear like a sailor when he scored nine out of ten.

"You then, first-year. Go for it. I haven't got all day!" Haynes called as Thalia kicked off the ground and flew like a tiny dark arrow towards Amy who threw her the quaffle. The other students laughter quickly died out when the saw that Thalia was definitely not the average first year. Teddy held on to his seat as Thalia did delicate spins before she threw accurately towards the rings.

Then Thalia rolled of the front of her broom, and countered its weight with her own which turned into a move that looked like she used the broom as a cricket bat to hit the quaffle. It went flying with such power that when Amy caught it, she fell backwards threw the ring. Luckily it wasn't her first time, and she managed to grab on to the rings pole before she reached for her broom again. Cheers broke out among the small crowd, and Teddy even jumped out of his seat out of cheer excitement.

She ended up scoring seven out of ten, just the same as the first boy did and the other students were clapping and cheering her on as she landed on the pitch. Teddy and Mylo hurried back down to meet her, and the much shorter girl was surrounded by older students who patted her shoulders from left and right.

"That was amazing!" Teddy exclaimed as he ran up to her. "I have never seen a move like that before!"

"'Course you haven't! That's my move! I call it the Shacklebat!" Thalia answered, smiling happily.

Thalia changed before they sat down outside the pitch, waiting to hear from Haynes. After almost an hour, the rest seemed to have finished and Haynes came walking out with his own Nimbus two-thousand-and-six over his shoulder.

"Hey, Shacklebolt!" he greeted her, and Thalia got to her feet with an expression of excitement.

"What'd you think about that, then? Bit better than your first-years, huh? So when's first practice?"

Haynes smiled at Thalia before he answered.

"You're not on the team", he said. Teddy's mouth fell open at the injustice before him, and he saw that Thalia was already well and ready to boil over.

"Relax. You're great! But as I said, no first years."

Thalia breathed deeply to control her temper. Haynes wasn't being rude or condescending in any way, but Teddy still couldn't believe what he was saying.

"The no-first-years rule's got to do with more than just skill. But you are _really_ good," he said which made Thalia smile a little.

"Hope you try out next year. Bit of practice, bit of growth, and who knows. I'll probably have to look out for my captains badge after that move."

"It's the Shacklebat!" Mylo said calmly, looking up at the evening sky, and Haynes laughed.

"Honestly, I wish I could make an exception, but I'm sorry, I can't. I hope I'll see you at matches, though! And at next year's try-outs, all right?"

Thalia wasn't happy, but after Haynes had apologized for his tone earlier and called her the best first year since the ninety-one Gryffindor seeker, she seemed to feel a little better.

The afternoon had made Teddy feel better too. Even if not for his own skill, Thalia had finally got to show what she could do on a broomstick. Quidditch really was a good way to get one's mind off of things, but the sky was darkening and a heavy wind was blowing as Teddy, Thalia and Mylo hurried across the grounds.

They were just about to pass the large hut that Hagrid, the groundskeeper lived in, when the massive man came up to them.

"Hurry, you lot! There's a storm coming!" he boomed over the heavy winds.

"What are you doing out yourself?" Thalia answered cheerily, but Teddy quickly felt that something was wrong on Hagrid's expression. Suddenly Mylo was also turning and squirming on the spot.

"Something's coming. Something big", he said worriedly, and suddenly they could all hear an enormous thumping, like the footsteps of something even bigger than Hagrid.

"MUNSTAH! MUNSTAH!" something massive and pale screamed as it broke several tree branches to get out of the outskirts of the forbidden forest.

"EASY GRAUP, EASY!" Hagrid screamed at nothing less than a giant. The giant ran up to Hagrid and fell to its knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

"There, there, now!" Hagrid said softly to the giant and patted its head.

"MUNSTAH IN TREES!" the giant said again with its booming voice. The first shock had settled, and Teddy could see now that the giant wasn't angry in any way, but scared to death of something.

"Blimey…" Hagrid exclaimed and looked towards something at the giants chest.

"Hagrid! Who is he?!" Teddy screamed through the heavy winds.

"It's me brother, Graup!" Hagrid answered. "Something musta' attacked him in the forests!"

On Graups boat sized chest bled several deep claw marks. Thalia covered her mouth at the sight of the bleeding wounds, and Mylo still seemed quite shaken by the giant that was crying near them.

"What could do THAT, to THAT?!" Thalia asked and pointed first towards the wounds and then towards Graups face.

"His name is Graup, mind you!" Hagrid exclaimed, "…and what could slash through his skin, I have no idea!"


End file.
